Burglar got four police cautions

A serial burglar was let off with a caution for the crime at least four times, fresh figures have revealed.

The Ministry of Justice has also revealed that 462 offenders who had committed violence against the person were cautioned once before for the same offence in the 12 months to 2013, while 23 had been previously cautioned twice.

And a total of 37,018 offenders in the same period had received a caution previously, though not specifically the same type of offence.

The figures are published shortly after a review of all out of court disposals including conditional cautions, fixed penalty notices, cannabis warnings and penalty notices for disorder, was launched.

A review of "simple" cautions, those used for for low-level offending, recommended c riminals should no longer receive a second caution for the same or similar offence committed within two years.

Some 4,763 adult offenders received two or more cautions for committing the same, or similar, offence in the two years to March 31, the Ministry of Justice said earlier this week.

The Government has already decided to ban the use of simple cautions for the most serious offences including rape and robbery.

The review of all out of court disposals is set to conclude in spring 2014.

Earlier this year, Essex Police conducted an internal review of their use of cautions after it emerged a burglar had received a caution following an offence in Chelmsford.

And in January, a burglar escaped with a caution despite admitting 113 offences.

Jason Dernbach, 24, was given the punishment after confessing to a three-year crime spree.

Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said: "There are a small group of persistent offenders who commit the same offences time and time again, some of whom rack up a string of cautions. This does not deliver justice for victims.

"We are on the side of people who work hard and want to get on - that is why we are working with the police make sure people who break the law will not escape the law.

"The police work extremely hard to deliver justice day in, day out.

"The current range of out-of-court disposals are confusing and the system is overly bureaucratic; that is why we are reviewing all out of court disposals.

"They should be consistent, straightforward and something in which victims and the wider public can have confidence."